Mattie McGrath: Urges Upgrades and Promotion for Rural Rail
Mattie McGrath urged the minister to upgrade and better market rural rail and bus services in South Tipperary, calling for more frequent trains, improved connections and basic station facilities. He welcomed the new TFI town bus in Clonmel and praised punctual services, while warning that many rural routes remain underused because of limited schedules and poor promotion.
Mr McGrath pressed for a significant upgrade to the rail line from Waterford to Conwell to Caire and Limer Junction, and for services to be increased to at least four or five times a day. He said better connectivity to Tullis is needed and that increasing frequency is the way to take cars off the road.
He welcomed the new TFI town bus in Clonmel as an outstanding success and highlighted local link services, including his role in setting up Ring-a-Link for rural transport. He praised the service staff and managers but argued that more connectivity is still required for rural and island communities.
Mr McGrath noted the existing rail service runs only twice a day and costs "270 a fare," and said it must be upgraded and better connected to other routes. He warned that many people do not even know the train runs from Caire to Limit Junction because the service is not sufficiently promoted.
He called for basic station amenities to be available, citing closed toilets at Caire and the unfairness of passengers waiting without facilities. He emphasised that marketing is essential - a service running unnoticed is of little value to rural communities.
Mr McGrath invited the minister to visit Tipperary, see local "black spots" and the rail service for himself, and said he looks forward to continued engagement on improving rural transport.
Main demands
Mr McGrath pressed for a significant upgrade to the rail line from Waterford to Conwell to Caire and Limer Junction, and for services to be increased to at least four or five times a day. He said better connectivity to Tullis is needed and that increasing frequency is the way to take cars off the road.
Local bus services and Ring-a-Link
He welcomed the new TFI town bus in Clonmel as an outstanding success and highlighted local link services, including his role in setting up Ring-a-Link for rural transport. He praised the service staff and managers but argued that more connectivity is still required for rural and island communities.
Current rail service and availability
Mr McGrath noted the existing rail service runs only twice a day and costs "270 a fare," and said it must be upgraded and better connected to other routes. He warned that many people do not even know the train runs from Caire to Limit Junction because the service is not sufficiently promoted.
Facilities and marketing needs
He called for basic station amenities to be available, citing closed toilets at Caire and the unfairness of passengers waiting without facilities. He emphasised that marketing is essential - a service running unnoticed is of little value to rural communities.
Engagement and follow-up
Mr McGrath invited the minister to visit Tipperary, see local "black spots" and the rail service for himself, and said he looks forward to continued engagement on improving rural transport.
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Transcript
I wish you well, Minister, in your new role. I hope you'll come to Tipperary. You know you will. There's several times to see the difference in the gaps that we have. I welcome the new TFI link, a town bus in Clonmel. It's an outstanding success and been well used. And it's now been the water for one. It's linking into Kilmanaghan and indeed Clonmel. And we needed to come to Newcastle and onto Knocklofty and a few stops there as well. Minister, the rail service, and you must come and see that, I use it, from Caire to Limit Junction. A good service is only twice a day. It's only 270 a fare, which is nothing. But it must be upgraded to at least four or five times a day and have better connectivity to Tullis. It must also be marketed. Nobody knows it's even there. People say to me, where did you get a train? You couldn't get a train from Caire. They don't know it's there, so you know they need to promote it. I used the doctor this morning. You're looking to have a service here in Dublin. Great service. It's almost always on time and very, very efficient and well-run and a nice service. So you're looking to have those services. We have the gaps in rural areas that we shouldn't have. And we need, one of the first jobs I was in as a councillor was setting up Ring-a-Link for rural transport. One of the most joyous things I've ever done. Now we have the most services on a salute, Jackie, meaning the manager there, staff, drivers, everybody else. But we need more connectivity for rural islands. And we need a huge investment in the train line from Waterford to Conwell to, on to Caire and Limer Junction. Because it's the way to do it. Get the cars off the road. We're forcing people into their cars because they have another option. And we don't have enough TFI service. We have many, they're great, they're coming. I suppose, to usak, Marlana, Hibra. But there's a long way to go. And I look forward to engaging with you, Minister, and to maybe visit South Tipperary. And see for yourself the black spots that are there. And especially the rail service. That we have the stations, we have the infrastructure, the line needs to be upgraded. And more frequent services. And above all, market the services that we have. It's no point the service is running and nobody knows about it. It's bizarre, they don't know. But they don't believe when you say get a train in Caire and the station in Clarmel should have toilets open as well in Caire. It's not fair to have people waiting without those facilities. Thank you, Minister.